While having a fire breathing 455 pushing me around town sounds like a lot of fun, and it does! I am looking for something I can drive daily without having to stop for gas every 100 miles. No a 350 or 400 with a little cam to give it that nice lope at the stop sign is what I am after, not to mention the fact I am attempting all this on a budget dreamed up by my wife (nearly none). But hmmmm 455 breathing fire and belching out Honda's does sound fun!
That's all true, but I am pretty sure the 350 is going to be easier to find, more affordable to purchase, and more affordable to drive. I use to have a 76 Nova that I went hog wild with cause I wanted to race at the drag strip, wound up with a car I couldn't afford to drive except for 10 min on the weekend 1/8 mile at a time. Don't want to make that mistake again.
Probably. The 350 was the base V8 in I think pretty much all pontiac powered pontiacs. In my travels, I've come across more 400s and 326s actually than 350s. But, whatever you can get ahold of is better than a 301. The 301 is so underpowered, just a stock 350 will get you more mpg because it can do more work with less effort.
Underpowered is an injustice, I have owned this very car twice, the first time with the stock 3800 and then sold it and bought it back a few years later with the 301. Honestly, would rather have the 3800 than the 301.
Only difference is I believe from the 1960s to the early 1970s, they used a different motor mount position on the block than the later 70s and 301 engines.
